Metro Washington Council afl-cio

Hundreds of active and retired members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), their families and supporters rallied and marched through downtown Washington Tuesday protest the potential loss of tens of thousands of coal mining jobs as a result of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Clean Power Plan.

“The EPA has paid absolutely no attention to the devastation that will occur in coalfield communities,” UMWA International President Cecil Roberts said. “We estimate that more than 65,000 men and women who work in the coal, utility and railroad industries will lose their jobs as a result of this rule. Those cuts will ripple through the rural communities where these workers live, causing thousands of more job losses.- photo by Chris Garlock